Loose-leaf binder book



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 OCT NOV

- INVENTOR.

Saul Shaler,

DEC.

m2 JULY AUG SEPT

MAY

JUNE

JAN

FEB

MAR

' ATTORNEY. 4

I V Patented Jan. 9 1940 2,186,436 LOQSEY-LEAFVBINDER noon 1 SauiShaler,Jacksonfleights, Long IsIand N. Y. r Aj uaubu ApriLH, 1939, Serial No.267,793

"I1 18 Claims. (c1.4o- -1o4 1 This invention relates to books and isdirected more particularly to loose-leaf binder books wherein means isprovided for opening the book to any selected page in a simpleandeificient 5 manner and without necessitating the fingering, ofindividual pages. The .book of the present invention may be employed asa telephone. or other index, register, perpetual calendar, docket,etc.,;

and when so used-has beencfound to possess a high degree, of efliciencyand convenience.

I am-aware that it has heretoforebeen suggested to provide index devicesadaptedtobe opened at predetermined points, but ,allof these deviceshave been of a bulky and cumbersome nature. They have' generallyembodied a relatively heavy base to serve as a support for leaveshingedly superimposedthereon, with an overlying pivoted cover or lidcarrying sheet engaging devices by'which agreater or lesser num er'oisuch sheets may be selectively engaged sothat, when the lid is raised,the thus attached sheets are lifted therewith from the base to exposethe predetermined underlying sheet. They have been expensive from thestandpoint of manufacture and are intended primarily for desk. use.

'The present invention, in ,contradistinction, embodies a simple,economical construction which may be conveniently carried around in .thepocket of the user, as any other form of loose-' leaf binder book, anduseful for ready reference. The book requires no heavy, cumbersome baseor support and themovement of the pages of the book is independent ofthe book covers.

Speaking generally, the book of the present in-' vention, in itspreferred form, comprisesa back 7 and associated coversof any suitablematerial or materials, which conveniently may be of paper, cardboard,leather or imitation leather, or a combination thereof. A loose-leafbinder element is mounted at the back of'the, book to which the coversare hin ed or with which they are" formed integral and this, loose leafbinder element supports the pages of the book in the usual manner onsplit rings which maybe sprung open or desired. The binder element,which is of metal, supports apage operator on which is slidablysupporteda page, selector, adapted to be manually moved into the desired positionto select the particular page which the operator desires. Through themanipulation of the page operator the book may be opened to the selectedpage. The page operator may,'if desired, bespring-actuated to ispreferably 'associated'with the page selector closed for the addition orremoval of pagesas move it into page opening position and means i tolock the page operator in the position which it normally takes when thebook is closed. When the page selector is moved topage'selectingposition, it is by, this movement unlocked,'so"-*thatthepage operator can beeither manually or 5 spring actuated to open thebook to-the page selected. In this respect, the present inventiondiffers greatly from all prior indices 0'! registers wherein a selectionofia page is-fir'st accomplished by a'member .mountedon jacover'orlidand 10 wherein the latter is thereafter released or--unlocked, sojth'at movementof" the cover ork'lid will move the sheet.

, An important feature of this-inventior'iresides in the fact that it emodies, in the main; standam loose-"leaf binder parts to "whicrijcertainad- 'uncts or accessories 'a're' 'added to facilitat' the opening of thebook 'toaa' predetermined page. I In fact, the invention may be socohstituted'that it maybe detachably associated withany fap- '20propriat e loose-leaf binder book without requiring change ormodification ofjthefstructure hi the latter. This is possible becausethe page operatin'gdevices; of this inventionare supported I on themetal binding" element of the-book', independently'oi the'jbook coversand function wholly independently'of such covers. Thispermits me 1 tomount on the interior of either or bothof said covers, conventionalcollapsible'pockets in which cards andother loose paper's'jmay'becarried and to which access may be had "without-i movement of the pageoperating'devices." I am also'thus enabled to supplement 'the indexedpages ofthe book-by a number of memopag'es to be useclbr referred towithout requiring movement of said page operating devices. f e Theinvention thus provides a more complete arrangement thanheretofore'produced'in connection with mechanicalindices or'the likeandaccomplishes all-"the results of prior devices as well withoutnecessitating cumbersome and bulky,

structures embodyingn'umerous. and complicated working parts v which areliable to get out of order or break. ,My ,device',"; incontradistin'ction, is extremely simple andbecause of its fuse ofstandard construction may be manufactured and: sold with markedeconomy'over prior cle\'riei,-v

of this general class;

V The present invention va so provides a; highly efiicient constructionfora perpetual calendar or docket, wherein opposing faces ofadjacentpages of. the book have delineated thereonispacescorrespondingto the twelve months of the year,

whileeach two opposing .faces' of suchadjacent pages are appropriate toone particular day of u in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate different practical embodiments ofthe invention, but the illustrative, only, and not of the invention.

tion in opened position.

.-Fig ure 2 is a section on the line 2- 2 of ure 1.

Figure-Ii shows a page layout appropriate "for use as a perpetualcalendar or docket.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a simplified form oftheinvention.

; Figure 5, is afragmental detailed perspectiveview, of one bracketofFigure 4.

\ Referring tothe drawings, I'and 2 indicate the front and back coversof a book, which. may be integral with or hingedto' the back 3. Theseparts may be of any'suitable material or a combination thereof. The backcover 2 is somewhat wider than the front cover I of the book to providea projecting portion. indicated at 4 in Figure l and on this. projectingportion is a column of characters. 5 in the form 'of letters, such asthe letters-of the alphabet or numerals indicating the daysof themonth'and/or'oth'er indicia pres-.- ently explained. f g

The back'of the book 3 supports a page binder, indicated generally at6,'which maybe ofthe substantially conventional. form used in looseleafbinders and "comprising a hollow metal'housing I supporting split rings8 conventionally springac'tuated' as is common in loose-leaf binders tobe snapped open and closed for the purpose of engaging or disengagingthe perforations 9 ofa plurality of book pages I0.

These pages III are cut away at their upper and lower. edges in thevicinity of the binder 6 to provide space for mounting brackets in theform of twin lugs. II which may be attached to or stamped from thehousing I of the binder. Through these twin lugs arepassed' rivets I2andon these rivets are pivotally supported the opposite ends of apageoperator I3. This operator maybe made from a strip of sheet metal bentinto substantially-U-shaped, bail form with right; angle cornersand of asize to extend around themargins of the free edges of the several pagesof the book, so that the longitudinal portion ll of the page operator isstraight and parallel to the lateral free edges of the pages and spacedclosely with reference thereto.

Onthis longitudinal portion II is s'lidably supported a page selectorI5. The page selector [5 has its upper and lower edges bent over thecorresponding edges of the portion I4, as indicated at I6, so as tomount the selector for sliding movement thereon. In practice, theselector is preferably pre-formed and slipped onto: the portion I4,while tongues I"! at'the end of this portion are bent into the dottedline position indicated in Figure 1, after which these tongues I! are'bent back ,into the plane of the stock from which they are formed inorder to lock the selector against disengagement.

point in the direction of the free edge of the cover and will thus becooperative with the column of figures or letters 5 when the book isclosed; The pagelifter extends in the opposite direction, so as to bedirectly'adjacent the inner face of the back cover 2 and underlie all ofthe construction therein shown is to be understood as g as defining thelimits J -alongtheirvertical free edges for progressive Figure 1 is aperspective viewshowine a looseleaf binder book embodying the'presentinven ,for, cooperative relation with the page lifter 20,

pages of the book when the book is closed. The several pagesof the bookare cut away at 2I distances from the top down, so that successiveportions of the consecutive pages are presented I preferably mount onthe inner face of the back cover. a retainer .23, so shaped and locatedthat, when the book is c1osec'l,.the page selector I5 maybe moved into aposition to engage beneath the offset end 24 of this retainer for thepurpose of locking'the page operatorvin closed book position.- When thislocking means is provided, the cut away portions of thepages and thed'esignations'ofthe column 5 should be such that the pointer willindicate a lockedposition and no particular page will be selected. Theretainer 23 is shown as positioned about midway. of .the height of thebook, although it may be positioned near either the top or the bottomifdesired. The

retainer is particularly useful if there is associated withthe. pageactuator, springs .25. These springs arecoiled about the rivets I2 withone with the retainer 23. The page lifter 20 and the offset portion 24of the retainer may be respectively provided withca projection 29 and adepression 30 to preclude inadvertent movement between them when theyare engaged.

In Figure l the pages of the book are shown as ruled in such manner asto render the book appropriate for use as a telephone index or the likeand consequently the characters ,5 and 22 comprise letters of thealphabet, with a designation 3Iindicating "locked position of the page lfter. In Figure 3 the ruling of the pages is such asto render the bookuseful as a perpetual calendar or docket.' Here, each page is dividedinto six spaces,*so that facing pages will collectively embody twelvespaces consecutively des ignated according to the months of,the calendar"year, while the designations 22' correspond to the numerical days ofthe month. The column 5 in this case is numbered I'-3I to correspond andtheindication 3I locked remains the same.

'When the book is opened to any particuular page, in the constructionof- Figure 3, it will disclose, for example, the 15th day of the monthfor each and ail of the twelve month s of the year. This arrangementpossesses many advantages, particularly inthe business and professional.fields is slid along the portion ll of the page operator was where onemust keep track of obligations. a

The book of the present invention may be made either with or without thesprings 25 and these springs are preferablyomitted, when the arrangementof Fig.3 is employed and they may of course be likewise omitted with thelayout of Fig. 1. In any eventthe springs have no connection with eitherof the covers. They are merely interposed between the binder 6 andthe'page operator I3. The covers are associated with the' binder in theusual manner and have no connection with the springs nor have they anyconnection with the pageoperator I3, except when the page litter islocked to the retainer '23 which is mounted on the back cover. i I I v xIn use, the book is closed in the usualjmanner and, if the springs 25are-embodied in the construction, the selector is moved into a positionto engage the page lifter with the retainer and thus the page operatoris locked to the back cover although the pages themselves may be freelyturned if desired. When the book is to be opened the finger piece I8 isgripped between the thumb'and forefinger, and the page selector futureevents or until the pointer I9 registers with the designation in thecolumn 5 which indicates the pagedesired. If no springs 25 areincorporated, the operator then opens the book by manuallyswinging thefinger piece in a direction to open the book, the frontcover I havingbeen-previously opened or not as desired for it has no connecera-tor isswung over on the pivots .oi the binder 6, the page lifter 20 willengage the proper page and cause the book to open at the right place.

If, however, the springs 25 are incorporated, the user need not manuallyswing the page oper-x ator for, after it is released from the retainer,it will tend to open'the book, and this before the selection of thedesired page h'asbeen accomp1 ished. Consequently, it is essential forthe user to hold the 'flnger piece after he has unlocked the pagelifterfrom the retainer and until a he has movedfthe' page selector to thepoint U necessary to select the desired page, and if the a finger pieceis then released, the springs will open thebook without any manipulationof any a part of'the' structure. Mere release bythe fingers initiatesthe operation, The purpose of the retainer, therefore, when used withthe springs, is merely to hold the page operator in a positionto'operate such pages assmay be manually selected after thepage;operatorhasrbeen unlocked. In other words, the springs do-not movethe pages *up on' the unlocking of thelpage lifter or until the point ofseparation of the pages has been thereafter manually qdetermined. Hencewhen the book is in normally closed position-, the'page lifter is alwaysleft in the same locking position from which, by sliding movement, it isreleased and moved to a page select ing position 'for the purpose ofsubsequently opening the book at the selected place'when the, operatorsfingers areremoved from the finger piece. When the pages are moved, theysimply. swing about the rings of the binder 6 on which they aresupported and the movement of the pages from one position to the otherisaccornplishedrby the page operator I3 which ismounted on and carriedby the binder 6. The cover I has Qnothing to do with'the'operations ofthe memnot be cut away as much if at all.'

affecting the operations of this part. The back cover 2 merely serves tocarry the column of identifying indicia Sfandjthe retainer 23. V

.In practice, .1 preferably include at the back of the book and betweenthe last page "and'the cover. asheet ofcardboard-or other material f3Iwhichmay be mounted .on the rings 8'orsecured to the back coverand thisserves 'as'a spacer} to leave a space between the last page and theooverin which the pagelifter may travel without engaging with any ofthepages, asthe' senator;

is slid along theportion Il'of. the page" operator;

In the constructionsof Eigu'resf i and 5, I have 7 .shown a simplifiedform of construction, without,

the locking means and without, springs; associated with the pageoperator. In this construction,

thepresentinvention is illustrated to be asso to; brackets struck upfrom or permanently mounted u-ponthernetal binder [6, as inthe previousfigures, it ismounted onbrackets 32, each of which is provided at itsbase'with a spring clip 33, so shaped and proportioned :that'it can besprung. over ,i the metal binding 5 of the looseleaf binder. Theopposite ends of the pageoperator are pivoted to the brackets 32 byeyelets 34,

so that by simply springing the spring clips 33 into engagement. withametallic binder of a loose leaf hinder, the present invention-may beassociated therewith. The indexed pages I Itemployed in thisbook are thesame as described in a connection with the previous figures,,althoughthe corners of the pages adjacent the binderneed The operation of theindexed pages IIIi's wholly independent of both of the coversI and 2.and "I may thus provide on the interiors ofeither one or both or thefront and back covers a collapsible envelope 35 adapted to hold detachedpapers for the indexed pages IIIKI may also incorporate into the book'anumber of additional memorandum pages,-price lists or 'catalogue'iIIisup:

ported by the rings 8 and access'may be hadito these pages or to theenvelope without operation of the page operator and bysimply opening thefront cover while the book remains otherwise invention opens through 180degrees, so that both facing pages ofthe book may be read with equalfacility, whereas in" previous designs of index, it has been common toopen the book for only approximately 90 degrees which .makesreadyreference. Between the front cover and it difficult to read theupstanding page, much eless to write thereon. 7 a The foregoing detaileddescription setsforth the invention in its preferred practical form, butthe invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with theappended claims. I

Having thusfully described the invention, what I clair'n' as new anddesire ,tosecure by Letters Patent is:

portinga plurality of pages for swinging movemjenapsaid pagesbeingprogressively' cut; away along their freeedges to provide asuccession of projecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binderfor swinging movement with the pages, and a page selector, mounted-onthe page book to such page;

operator and manually slidable thereon, to en-' gage'with a'selectedpage, whereupon swinging movement of the page operator will open;the

2. 'A book comprising a back, front and back cover hingedly connected tothe back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supportingaplurality of pages for swinging movement, said pages beingprogressively cut away alongtheir free edges to provide a succession ofprojecting portions, brackets positioned adjacent the opposite endsof'the binder, a bail-like page operator pivotally supported on saidbrackets and loosely'embracing the free edges of the pages, and a-pageselector slidable on' said page operator and having a projecting pagelifter movable therewith into cooperation" with any particular pageprojection, whereupon pivotal movement of the page operator will openthe book to the selected page.

3.'A book comprising a back; front'and back covers hingedly connected tothe back, ablnder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting-aplurality of pages for swinging move ment, said-pages beingprogressively cut away along their free edges to provide a succession ofprojecting portions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swingingmovement with the pages, apage selector, mounted on the page operatorand manually slidable thereon, to engage with a selected page, whereuponswinging move ment of the page operator will open the book .to suchpage, and resilient means operatively connected with the page operatorto swing the latter in a page opening directionafter the page selectorhas been moved into cooperative relation with a selected page.

4. A book comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected tothe back, a binder mounted on the interior'of the back and supporting aplurality of pages for swinging movement,-said pages being progressivelycut-away along their free edges to provide a succession of projectingportions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movementwith the pages, a page selector, mounted on the page operator andmanually slidable thereon, to engage with a selected page, whereuponswinging movement of resilient means operativeiy connected withthe pageoperator to swing the latter in a page open ing direction after the pageselector has been moved into cooperative relation with a selected page,and means for holding said resilient means in restraint when the book isclosed and the page selector is in a predetermined position.

5. A book comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected tothe back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting aplurality'of pages for swinging movement, said pages being progressivelycut away along their free edges to provide a succession of projectingportions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movementwith the pages, a page selector, mounted on the page operator andmanually slidable thereon, to engage with a moved into cooperativerelation with a selected page, and means mounted on the back cover andon the page selector for holding said resilient means in restraint whenthe book is closed and the page selector is ina predetermined position.

6; Abook comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connected tothe back, a binder mounted on the interiorof the back and supporting aplurality of pages for swinging movement, said pages being progressivelycut away along their free edges to provide a succession of-projectingportions, a page operator pivoted to the binder for swinging movementwith the pages, a page selector, mounted on the page operator andmanually slidable thereon, to engage with a selected page, whereuponswinging movement of' the page operator will open the book to such page,indicia upon the projecting portions of the respective pages'toindividually identify said pages, corresponding indicia similarly placedon one of the covers, and an indicator on the page selector cooperatingwith the indicia on the cover to facilitate the positioning of the pagelifter with respect to a selected page.

7. A, book. comprising a back, a front cover hinged to one side of theback, a back cover hinged to'the other side of the back, a loose-leafbinder mounted on the interior of the back, and page seiecting meansmounted on the binder.

8. A book comprising a back, a front cover hinged to one side of theback, aback cover hinged tothe other side of the back, a loose-leafbindermounted on the interior of the back, pages supported by theloose-leaf binder, and page selecting means also mounted on the binder,said book being adapted to open through 180 degrees.

9. A book comprising a back, a front cover hinged to one side oftheback, a back cover hinge'd' to the other side of the back,aloose-leaf page selecting means for the indexed pages also mounted onthe binder, said front cover and additional pages being hingedly movablewithout requiring movement of the page selecting means. 7 I

11. A book Comprising aback, front and back covers hingedly connected tothe back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supporting aplurality of pages for swingingmovement, 2. page operating memberpivoted to said back for swinging movement, and means for locking thepage operating member to the back cover, the front cover being pivotallymovable with respect to the back cover and the page op- V crating memberWhile the page operating member remains locked against pivotalmovement'to the back cover.

'12. A book comprising a back, front and back covers hingedly connectedto the back, a binder mounted on the interior of the back and supportinga plurality of pages for swinging movement. a page operating memberpivoted to said back for swinging movement, a page selector mounted onthe page operating member, and

means on the back cover engaging the page selector for locking the pageoperating member to the back cover, said front cover being movable fromclosed to open position while the page operating member remains lockedto the back cover. I

13. A book comprising covers, a page operator mounted for swingingmovement between the covers, pages also mounted between the covers andoperable selectively by the page operator, I

and a spacing member also pivotally movable between the covers forspacing the rearmost page from the back cover.

14. A book comprising .a loose-leaf binder, covers hingedly associatedtherewith, and pages car- 1 ried by the binder, in combination with pageoperating means detachably supported on the for pivotal movement uponsaid binder, and means also carried by the frame to select and engage apredetermined page of the book to open I the book to such page when thepage operating said frame for detachably mounting theisame frame ispivotally moved with respect to the a binder on which it is mounted.

16. An accessory for loose-leaf binders com prising page selecting andturning means includ- I inggspring clips adapted to be detachably en--gaged with a binder and pivotally supported thereon, and a page turningframe carrymg'a manually operable pagev selector.

17. A book comprising a back, covers hingedly connected to the back, anda page turning frame mounted independently of the coversand havingthereon a slidercarrying' a page selector, a l0cking member and anindicator.-

18. connected to the back, and a page turning frame mountedindependently of the covers and having thereon a slide carrying a pageselector, 9.

with and forming part of the slide.

SAUL SEALER.

locking member and an indicator,'a1l integral v c I book comprisingaback, covers hingedly

